In my business I am constantly ordering broadband for my customers. About 50% of the time it is hassle-free and happens in the 7-10 working days quoted. If you use Tesco Broadband for home, then this happens occasionally, though 15 days is more common.

In many cases the issue is with BT, not the broadband provider.

Usually the problem is that the order on the line has not been closed on the CSS (Telephone Accounts), thus preventing the Broadband Wholesale (responsible for deeming the line available for broadband suppliers) system from flagging the line as actually being in existence.

Phone 150, enter the phone number you’re phoning about. If you are asked for an account number (the last 8 digits), press 00000000 and you will get straight through to an operator.

Give the operator your phone number and request:

“On the CSS (Telephone Accounts System), the provide order for line has not been closed. Please can you close it.”

The operator is usually very happy to help and will notice that the order has not been closed, and will close it for you – this usually involves being on hold for around 30 seconds.

Once completed the update is practically instantaneous, and you can order broadband straight away!

If for any reason you cant, contact BT Wholesale on 08001690934 (Choose option #2 and then #2 again), give them your phone number, explain that you are trying to get broadband on the line, and ask them to “Update the BT Wholesale system with your new phone number”. Explain that you have contacted 150 already and that it is not working. BT Wholesale will usually advise you that (depending on the operator you get through to) a) you line has been added and it will refresh within 30 minutes, or that b) you will need to wait until the next system refresh in several hours time. Either way it seems to happen within 30 minutes.

Tesco Broadband is particularly bad at recognising BT phone lines, and their operators are usually terrible, rude and unhelpful.

Demon Internet is exactly the opposite, and are extremely helpful. It was a Demon Internet operative who gave me all the details to whom to contact and the wording to use to get action taken with BT to get broadband, so this item is merely to help others who are stuck in the same situation!